The present invention relates to the design and construction of handheld utensils, such as eating utensils, including knives, forks, spoons, and the like, and writing utensils or instruments, including pencils, pens, chalk, crayons and the like. It further relates to ornamental designs or figures which can be removably attached or permanently affixed to such handheld utensils.
Many children need encouragement to eat especially foods which they are not fond of which typically can include liver, spinach and the like. Meal times can thereby be troublesome to the parents and not very enjoyable to the children. Additionally, it is desirable to make activities such as drawing, writing and administering medicines more enjoyable to children.
To make such activities more enjoyable to the children (and their parents) many designs or ornamentations adapted to be removably placed on eating utensils or to be integrally formed therewith are known. These include the designs shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 158,818, 231,721, 257,757, and 274,971, and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,787,055, 2,889,624, and 3,968,591, each of whose contents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. At times in years past small generally rigid figures adapted to slide onto spoons and the like and to sit immovable thereon were provided as prizes in cereal boxes. Further, it is known to form the entire handle of the eating utensil in the shape of a object which may be familiar to the child such as the airplane design distributed by Harber, Inc., of Minnetonka, Minn. under the name "Food Flyer", and the small figure extending longitudinally from the end of the eating utensil sold under the name "Special Place Setting" and distributed by Sterling House. While these have some aesthetic appeal to the child they are of limited play or fun value. It is difficult for the child to interact with these figures or if the parent is handling the utensil as when feeding the child or giving him his medicine it is difficult for the parent to interact with the child using these figures.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel construction of a figure adapted for use on a handheld utensil.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction of a figure attachable to a handheld utensil whose construction allows for the active interaction of the utensil user with the figure.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel construction of a utensil figure which allows for the easy adaptation of the design of that figure to resemble a variety of animate and inanimate objects in various positions.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel figure design for a handheld utensil which coincides with the utensil or the use to which it is put in order to increase the fun and/or learning value of the utensil activity.
Another object is to provide a novel construction of a handheld utensil which includes a representation of an inanimate or animate face of an object familiar to the user to thereby entertain him.
A further object is to provide a novel construction for the handle portion of a handheld utensil which is adapted to be grasped in generally the same manner as when the utensil is correctly grasped.
A still further object is to provide a utensil ornamentation which can challenge the imagination of the child user, but does not significantly hinder his manipulation of the utensil.
Another object is to provide a novel utensil figure member which can encourage the advancement of the child user's social and communication skills.
A further object is to provide an attractive eating utensil design which provides a whimsical inducement for the child user to eat, and thereby makes those otherwise difficult mealtime feedings easier.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.